


smile, flower

by pastelhajime



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-19 23:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9466079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelhajime/pseuds/pastelhajime
Summary: Kei shook his head. "I can't wait until you're home.""Neither can I," Tadashi grinned. "But until then, smile, flower."





	

**Author's Note:**

> for ane!! happy birthday angel i love you so so much and i really hope you like this fic because i loved writing it 
> 
> it's not the best but i tried to come up with something with what you asked for, and this is what i got haha
> 
> based of the song smile flower by seventeen
> 
> twitter: rosejihoons
> 
> thanks for reading!

It was so dark, the night he left.

No moon, no stars—just the glow of Tadashi's skin against the miles of endless darkness. Just the sparkle in his eyes, and the light in his voice when he spoke.

"It's kind of like a training camp," Tadashi had said, grinning with excitement. "Shimada knows the guy who runs it, and they agreed to let me go along."

Kei didn't say anything. He just looked down at his shoes.

"I've already spoken to my parents," He continued. "They're okay with me taking a couple of days off—"

"Days?" Kei's voice was trembling. Tadashi's gaze softened. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"A week," Tadashi stepped forward and gently touched Kei's arm. Kei closed his eyes. "Kei, you know how bad I want this, right?"

Kei didn't say anything. He just put his headphones on and turned the volume all the way up.

\---------

The next few days at school were the worst.

Kei hadn't realised how badly he needed Tadashi to get through the day. He wasn't used to answering questions alone, or the silence at their usual spot at the lunch table. He didn't know how to put things kindly like Tadashi could, or how to just smile when he didn't know what to say.

Sighing, he put his head on the table. He hated this.

"Hey, Tsukishima!" Kei looked up to see the freak duo bounding over to him. He frowned. "Why do you look so down?"

Kei ignored Hinata's question and instead stared out of the window. Kageyama took his opportunity to speak. "It's because Yamaguchi-san's gone, and so he's all alone."

Hinata and Kageyama giggled amongst themselves as Kei rolled his eyes. "Please," He smirked. This he knew how to do. "At least I have friends, King."

Kageyama turned a bright red. "You take that back, you oversized—"

"Okay!" Hinata struggled to hold Kageyama back, but managed to do so anyway. "We came to see if—get over it, Kageyama, you know he was right—you'd still want to come to practice today? We thought that maybe—calm down, I'm trying to talk to him and your not helping!—you wouldn't want to go since Yamaguchi-san isn't here?"

Kei looked down, the feel of Tadashi not by his side growing stronger. "Yeah, I'd rather not go." His voice was annoyingly monotone, even for him, but no boy mentioned it. "I can't put up with you idiots myself."

Kageyama looked just about ready to blow a fuse, but Hinata just smiled. "Okay! We'll let Daichi-san know! See you later!" He rambled, pulling Kageyama away.

Kei sighed. Days without Tadashi were the worst.

\------------

Later that night, Kei waited until everyone was asleep before pulling out his phone and checking to see if there were any messages from Tadashi.

And, thankfully, there were.

Hey, the first one began. Kei closed his eyes and let the soothing voice of Tadashi overtake his senses, finally allowing himself to miss him properly. How are you, Kei? I hope you still think about me, even if it's just a week. Anyway, camp has been really great so far! I've made some friends here, but I still wish you were here.

I'm lying in bed right now, and I was thinking back to how when we were younger, we used to stay up to Skype each other late at night, because we missed each other so much. If only we could do that now...

Now I'm just being dramatic. But if you really want to Skype me, I'm waiting. Take care, Kei.

In a flash, Kei was plugging in his computer and loading up Skype, the want for Tadashi growing stronger every second. He waited, biting his lip, as the dial tone sang, as the connection finalised, and finally released his breath when he saw Tadashi's smiling face on the screen.

"Kei!" Tadashi laughed, and Kei felt tears spring into his eyes. "How have you been?"

"It's only been a day," Kei's voice was soft, because he knew if he said too much, he'd start crying. "Not much has happened."

Tadashi laughed again, eyes crinkling in the corners. Kei felt the loneliness and longing to be with Tadashi almost fatal. "You're right," He admitted, before seeing the tears in Kei's eyes. "Kei, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Kei wiped his hand across his face in record time, trying to stop the tears, but they kept flowing. Tadashi smiled softly.

"I miss you too, Kei." Tadashi's voice shook, and he closed his eyes. Kei bit his lip.

"I really want you to enjoy, Tadashi, I really do." Kei was trembling, and he had to ball his hands into fists to stop himself from screaming. "But I want you to be here more."

"I know," Tadashi shook his head, and that's when Kei realised the other boy was crying as well. "God, I was so excited for this camp, but I can't stand it anymore. I want to go home."

"Tadashi," Kei sighed, "It's been hell here without you."

"I wish you were here," Tadashi whispered, wiping his cheeks. "Or that I were there."

"Everything reminds me of you," Kei admitted, voice low. "I can't do anything anymore. You're haunting me, Tadashi."

"I'm sorry," Tadashi sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Kei."

Kei smiled sadly. "Don't apologise." He shook his head. "Whatever you do, don't apologise."

Tadashi looked up, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not complaining, Tadashi." Kei explained. "I want you here. I—You're my best friend, you know? I've never cared about anyone the way I've cared for you."

Tadashi gave the other boy a watery smile. "Kei,"

"And I don't want to either." The blond shook his head again. "You're so important to me, Tadashi, and I just—" Kei wiped his eyes. "—really miss you."

"Kei," Tadashi whispered. "I want to try something, okay?"

Kei stared, confused, but nodded anyway.

"Okay," Tadashi gave him a crooked grin. "First, I want you to close your eyes."

"Tadashi," Kei asked as his eyes flew shut. "What is the point of this?"

"Just do it, okay?" Tadashi playfully whined. "Now, put your hand to the computer screen. I'm gonna put mine there as well."

"I get it," Kei mumbled. "It's meant to make me feel like you're here, right?"

Tadashi grinned. "Well, doesn't it?"

Kei hated to admit it, but it was true. The feeling of knowing that Tadashi, no matter where he was, was doing the same thing as him, calmed him down. He liked knowing that he had Tadashi with him right now, even if they weren't in the same room.

"I don't know," Kei took his hand off. "It feels weird without you."

Tadashi shook his head and smiled. "Kei, I'm not a magician, I can't make it suddenly better."

"That's a lie," Kei sighed. "You can, you always do, and that's why I care so much about you. You do it without realising, you do it with all your heart, and that's what makes you so amazing."

"Kei..." Tears filled Tadashi's eyes. Kei looked down.

"I miss you, Tadashi." The brunet smiled sadly.

"I'm only doing this because I want to be able to play with you on the court." Tadashi grinned. "You do realise that, right? Otherwise, you'd never be able to tear me away from you."

"Yeah, okay," Kei shrugged. "But I'd still rather have you here."

"I know, Kei." Tadashi shook his head. "So would I."

"A week," Kei sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to last."

"You're going to do it because you're strong, Kei." Tadashi smiled softly at him, hand still on the screen. "You're going to make it through this week because I have so much confidence in you, that you'll find the strength you need, and if you feel like you don't have enough, you can have all of mine as well."

"How—" Kei's voice caught. "How are you doing so well?"

"I'm not," Tadashi admitted softly. "I just think of you, and then suddenly it doesn't seem so bad."

"Tadashi," Kei sighed. He closed his eyes. "I miss you."

Tears filled Tadashi's eyes again. "I miss you too, Kei."

Kei shook his head. "I can't wait until you're home."

"Neither can I," Tadashi grinned. "But until then, smile, flower."

\----------

_A week later._

"I'm coming home today!" Tadashi's voice screamed into the phone. Kei grinned. "Can you believe it?"

"No," Kei admitted, getting into his car. "But I better, because you're gonna be here soon."

"You sure you know the way to the airport? Do you have a map and everything—" Tadashi rambled on, worried, until Kei cut him off.

"Relax, will you?" He insisted. "I'll just use my feelings to guide the way."

Tadashi laughed. "Ew, Kei, that was so _cheesy_ , but also weirdly cute."

"Hey," Kei argued. "You're the one who ends every call with 'smile, flower'. What is that supposed to even mean?"

"Well," Tadashi cleared his throat. "I heard a couple use it before, and realised how it was applicable for us, too."

Kei frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're my flower, Kei. You're the beauty and wonder in my life, no matter where you are. And smiling, just makes it grow stronger and more beautiful." Tadashi grinned. "I want you to be smiling, always."

"Tadashi," Kei didn't know what to say.

"Relax, will you? I'm almost here." Tadashi laughed. "But until then, smile, flower."


End file.
